Robinson Racing Returns to 2016 Trans Am Series to Defend 2015 TA2 Championship

March 2, 2016

After a stellar rookie season with drivers Gar Robinson and Shane Lewis, Robinson Racing returns to compete in the 2016 Trans Am 50th Anniversary Season with twin Chevrolet Camaros. In his first full-time season in the Trans Am Series, Gar Robinson clinched the 2015 TA2 Championship in the last lap of the Daytona International Speedway finale and earned the Rookie of the Year award. Also a rookie in Trans Am, accomplished endurance racer Shane Lewis won the 3-Dimensional Services Group Triple Shot Showdown last August and finished fourth in overall points for the TA2 Class.

Round 1 of the TA2 pony wars takes place at the legendary Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida, on Saturday, March 5, 2016, at 11:00 am ET. The TA2 Class has a separate 100-mile race, sponsored by AEM Performance Electronics, with 35 competitors entered including Robinson and Lewis. Drivers in Chevrolet Camaros, Dodge Challengers and Ford Mustangs will all battle for a coveted spot in the Champions Zone, the new podium area in the paddock at Sebring. A second 100-mile Trans Am race on Saturday, for the TA, TA3, TA4 and TA5 Classes with 43 entries, will be held at 4:50 pm ET.

Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Trans Am Series, the Spring Vintage Classic, March 3 to 6 at Sebring, features SVRA, International GT and Historic Trans Am races as well as a vintage car show with parade laps on the famous track and celebrity autograph signing sessions. The event’s grand marshal is Bob Tullius, winner of the first Trans Am race, held at Sebring in 1966. Jack Baldwin, 1992 Trans Am Champion, and Ron Fellows, winner of 20 Trans Am races, will compete this weekend with vintage racers. Legends of motorsports including Lyn St. James, George Follmer, Willy T. Ribbs, David Hobbs, Tom Yeager and Amy Ruman will be on hand to greet fans and participate in panel discussions.

For more information, visit gotransam.com and svra.com. Connect with Gar Robinson, Shane Lewis and Robinson Racing at robinsonracingteam.com/social.

Bad Boys of TA2 at Daytona International Speedway for the 2015 Trans Am Series finale last November: Lawrence Loshak of Loshak/Stark Racing, Adam Andretti of ECC Motorsports, Gar Robinson and Shane Lewis
A Look Back at Robinson Racing’s 2015 Season

In his first year in the Trans Am Series racing the #74 Chevrolet Camaro sponsored by 74 Ranch Resort, Gar Robinson raced to the pinnacle of the TA2 Class, winning the 2015 Trans Am Championship and earning the 3-Dimensional Services Trigon Trophy. Taking the checkered flag at Daytona in the season finale, he had also finished first at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in August and at NOLA Motorsports Park in October.

Robinson kicked off his rookie year with a second place finish at Sebring International Raceway in March 2015, and went on to nab an additional second place trophy at New Jersey Motorsports Park, with third place finishes at Road Atlanta, Brainerd International Raceway, Road America and Circuit of The Americas. In total, Robinson made an impressive nine podium appearances in the 12 Trans Am events of 2015. At 20 years old, he became the youngest driver to ever win the TA2 Championship.

Once Robinson finished third at Circuit of The Americas, Round 11 of the 2015 Season, he earned the most points overall among the first-time racers in the Series, and his Rookie of the Year status was confirmed going into the final race at Daytona. He was awarded two impressive trophies for the Rookie of the Year honor, sponsored by Wilwood Disc Brakes.

Last year, Robinson also earned two trophy checks for the Cool Move of the Race, presented by CoolShirt Systems, in the TA2 Class. A bold pass on the last lap of the Daytona race earned him the honor in December, and in October, he won the Cool Move of the Race award at NOLA Motorsports Park.

In the No. 72 Chevrolet Camaro sponsored by 74 Ranch Resort, Lewis had three podium finishes last year and won the 3-Dimensional Services Group Triple Shot Showdown in the TA2 Class in August 2015. He finished fourth in overall points for the TA2 Class and second in the rookie points standings. Lewis claimed the pole position at NOLA Motorsports Park last October and qualified in the top 5 in 10 of the 12 races held in 2015. He set a new track record in TA2 for the fastest lap time at Mid-Ohio last August and turned the fastest lap in the TA2 Class at NOLA Motorsports Park.

 

Track Chat with Gar Robinson

- Driver of the No. 74 Chevrolet Camaro for Robinson Racing in the Trans Am Series
- 2015 Trans Am TA2 Champion and Rookie of the Year
- Youngest Driver to Win a TA2 Championship
- Winner of 3 Trans Am races in 2015
- Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
- Home Track: Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas

Trans Am’s 50th Anniversary
“The 50th Trans Am season is going to be incredible. I'm excited to see all the friends that I made in 2015, excited for the new friends that I'm going to meet, and the intense battles that I will be involved in while defending my Championship.”

Off-Season Rust
“The fact that I had such a large race as the Rolex 24 At Daytona before the 2016 Trans Am season started helped me out tremendously by knocking the rust off that had been acquired in the off-season.”

Fatherly Advice
“Before my first Trans Am race, my dad told me to go out and have fun, and I think I've done that throughout last season; that will for sure stick with me for seasons to come.”

Sebring: March 1, 2015
“The Trans Am race at Sebring last year was our first podium with a second place finish, so it definitely set the bar and showed that we were a force to be reckoned with.”

Crew Preparedness
“My crew is ready to go for the 2016 season. The season is ours to lose, but I think the team is stronger then ever. I think we’ll be able to hit the ground with the same speed as we finished last year.”

The Competition in TA2
“We painted a big target on our backs last year by winning the Championship. There will be stiff competition, but I believe that we have the team to do the job.”

Legends at Sebring: Spring Vintage Classic - March 3 - 6, 2016
“Growing up around racing, I've come to know several legendary drivers. I am excited to see Jack Baldwin, Wally Dallenbach, and Willy T. Ribbs. They are all close to me. Jimmy, Norm, and Ross from my crew have worked with just about all of them. And the cars are going to be nice to see too.”
About Robinson Racing

Robinson Racing is a motorsports organization based in Milford, Michigan, with two vehicles competing in the 2016 Trans Am Series. In the TA2 Class of the Trans Am Series, Robinson Racing runs the No. 74 Chevrolet Camaro, sponsored by 74 Ranch Resort and driven by Gar Robinson, winner of the 2015 Trans Am TA2 Championship and 2015 Rookie of the Year. The team also runs the No. 72 Chevrolet Camaro in the Trans Am Series, sponsored by 74 Ranch Resort and driven by renowned endurance champion Shane Lewis. The Team Owner and Gar Robinson’s father, George Robinson is a former Trans Am driver, running in 46 races from 1988 to 1994 with one victory, eight top-five appearances and 24 top-ten showings. In addition to the Trans Am Series, George Robinson raced in IMSA, Grand Am, and ALMS, with 3 class wins at the 12 Hours of Sebring plus a Championship in the Ferrari Challenge. For more information, visit RobinsonRacingTeam.com.